In his final few breaths, Israel blesses his sons appropriately, and then asks to be buried in the same cave Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and Israel’s wife Leah were buried (the family crypt Abraham bought in Gen 23). “Reuben, you are my firstborn… Unstable as water, you shall not have preeminence. Simeon and…
Month: May 2019
Psalm 49
“Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches? Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly…
Genesis 48
Israel, as we found out at the end of ch47, is nearing the end of his life and he takes this opportunity to bless Joseph’s children, Manasseh and Ephraim. “Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, so that he could not see. So Joseph brought them near him… Ephraim in his right hand…
Psalm 48
“Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God! His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King. Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress. As we have heard,…
Genesis 47
There’s a fair bit happening in this chapter, so I’ll attempt to summarize. The first main section which bookends the chapter is the settling of Joseph’s family in Goshen. With Pharaoh’s blessing, Israel and his descendants are not only given the best ranch land, they are given all of Pharaoh’s livestock to care for, since…
Psalm 47
“Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth. He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. God has…
Genesis 46
“So Israel set out with all that he had, and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, ‘Jacob, Jacob.’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘I am God, the God of your father; do not be…
Psalm 46
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he…
Genesis 45
“Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. And Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed…
Psalm 45
This is a unique Psalm, since it is a wedding song for a king and his bride, and not specifically for talking to the Lord our God. “You are the most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God has blessed you forever. Gird your sword on your thigh,…